Automatic display apparatus for lantern-slides.



S. B. AUSTIN.

AUTOMATIC DISPLAY APPARATUS FOR LANTERN SLIDES.

APPLICATION l'lLllI) OUT-1. I91]. 1 ,1 1 1,636. Patented Sept. 22, 1914.

4 SHEETS SHEET] S. B. AUSTIN.

AUTOMATIC DISPLAY APPARATUS FOR LANTERN sums.

APPLIOA'HONIXLILDOGT.1,1013.

1,111,636. n ed Sept.22.1914

4 SHEETS SHEET 2 S. B. AUSTIN. AUTOMATIC DISPLAY APPARATUS FOB LANTERNsums.

APPLICATION FILED OUT-1.1913.

S. B. AUSTIN.

AUTOMATIC DISPLAY APPARATUS FOR LANTERN SLIDES.

APPLICATION FILIJI)0IJ'I'.|,1013.

Patented Sept. 22, 1914 4 SHEETS SHEET 4 I L v UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE.

arena"! a. swarm, or nat'rmoas, IABYLAND, assmnon. BY m ssus Assmmnm'rs,'ro xo'r'r-La-oaxsn annu'rnn anvsnmsmo coarona'non, or new YORK, a. Y.

AUTOIATIO DISPLAY APPARATUS FOB. LANTEBN-SLIDES.

lpeelfleatloll of Letters are.

Patented Sept. 22, 1914.

Application the October 1, 101:. Serial so. warm.

Ta all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Sroxar B. Aryans, citizen of theUnited States,residing at a}; timore, Marvland, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Automatic Display A paratus for Lantern-Slides, of whichthe ollowing is a specificatlon.

The invention relates to apparatus for handling lantern slides andparticular-l of the ty disclosed in Letters Patent the Uni Statesgranted to A. S. Spiege .luly 8. 1913, No. 1,066,765. In a lantern slideof this type the screen member and a picture carrying member areassembled in such relation that the movement of one relatively to theother member will cause to be displayed different parts of the compositepicture to give a motion picture effect.

Mtv present machine is designed to bring the antern slides in orderautomatically 30 the display point and. to operate each sli eautomatically when it is at the display point so thatby having a machinecapable of holding a number of displaying one all e after anot erandproducing the motion picture effect from each slide, when at the displayoint, may be carried out automatically without attention on the part ofan o rator.

In t e accompanying rawings Figure 1 is o si e elevation of a machineembodying my invention, Fig. 2 is a front elevation looking from theright of Fi 1, and Fig. 3 is a sectional view looking from the samedirection as Fig. 1. Fig. 3 shows dia rammntiuullv a detail of the sprin4 and their relation to the trough 4. Fig. 4 is a iew similar to Fi 2,differing only in showing a modified form of drive.

The main body of the machine consists of two frames 1, 2 between whichare hung two troughs 3, 4. The lantern slides to be exhibited are made uof trans )arent members a and metal hol ers 5 \vhici are placed in thesetroughs. Also slidably mounted between the frames are two elevators 6,7, each consisting of a horizontal bar mounted between two uprightshaving rack teeth (3. T on their edges which engage the gears 8 on theshaft 8 The driving mechanism consists of the shafts 9, 10. 11 and thegears etc. mounted on them. The pulleys l2. 13 are driven in oppositedirection from a motor. Between them is a friction clutch deof slidesthe o erationvice consisting of the yoke 14 and the clutch 66 15. Thisclutch is free to move longitudinally on the shaft 9 but is keyed to theshe. so that said shaft will be driven forward or backward as the clutchcollar is in engpgemeut with one or the other of the P y n The shaft 10is driven from the shaft 9 through the gears 16, 17 and is threaded witha left hand thread throu hout its len th between its bearings. he

traveler 18 as a female thread in its upper end engagin the thread onshaft 10 and is free to side on the shaft 11 between the adjustablecollars 19, 20.

Starting with the elevators in the positi nehown, that is with 6 in itsupper or ea ibitin position and 7 down at the left hand en of trough 4and with a lantern slide in each elevator and with the traveler 18 nearthe collar 19, the pulley 13 drives the shaft 10 in such direction thatthe trav- 76 eler 18 is moved leftward. On the head of the traveler is aspring plunger 21 adapted to engage a lever 22 pivoted to the frame. astheplung'er strikes the lever 22 and operates it the u right arm 22 ofthe lever moves the fric ion clutch 23 to engage the worm 24 and causesit to rotate with the shaft 9, because clutch 23 is splined to the shaftby pin and slot 25. This worm acting through the worm gear 26 and gears8 on the cross shaft 8 and the racks on the elevators, raises theelevator T to a pos1tiou at the left hand end of trough 3 ant lowers theelevator (i, with the slide thereon (which has just been exhibited), toa position opi osite the right end of the same trough 3. he traveler 18moving farther to the loft strikes collar 19 and so moves shaft 11 tothe left. A pin or screw on the collar '27 connects with lever arm 28and causes said lever to move to the left. and throughlever arm 29 moves)lnnger 30 to the right. pushing one slide from elevator T into troughEl and one slide from trough 3 into elevator a which is now down. tion'ust mentioned, pushes the slide last exhibited from elevator (i into arecess 31 in frame, and against the front wall 3-2 of vertical recess81. The nn'n'ement to the loft of shaft. 11 compresses spring 33 untilcatch 1 H is released, by collar 27 striking the lug 3.1 on the catch34. when the yoke 14 is driven leftward by the spring 33 causing Thisslide in the no clutch to disengage glulley 18 and engage pulley 12reversing t e mechanism, and causing traveler 18 to start moving towardthe right. During the motion of the plunger or shaft 11 and while themechanism is reversing, the elevators remain stationary as the pin 21has passed over the bump on lever 22. As the traveler now moves towardthe right this pin again strikes the hump on lever 22 and causes theworm 24 to rotate this time in a reverse direction, owing to the drivenow being through pulley 12, thus causing the elevators 6 and 7 toreturn to their original position of Fig. 3, i. e. 6 up and 7 down. Astop plate 36 on the side of the worm gear .26 is ada ted to interceptpins 37 and 38 respective y, on the collars 39, 40 at the ends of theworm 24 and limits this motion in both directions.

As the elevator 6 rises toward its original upper position the lanternslide in the recess 31 is forced out by the springs 41 and drops downinto the lower trough 4, one of the slides being shown at X, in theposition to which it has fallen. It is arrested in its fall andprevented from falling hard enough to do any damage by the springs 42.When the traveler in its rightward movement, strikes the collar theplunger is withdrawn and plan er 43 being mounted on a yoke 44 attachetto side rods 45 to which the plunger 30 is also attached, moves in. Thismotion forces the lantern slide X into the lower trough and this pressinon the other slides moves them along said trough so that the left handslide is pushed onto elevator 7. The slide at X, when pushed into thetrough 4, passes beyond the springs 42 where it is held by thesesprings. When the traveler strikes collar 20 the mechanism is reversedas before and the traveler resumes a leftward movement. It will be seenthat the length of time a picture will be exhibited may be regulated bymoving the collar .20 along the shaft 11.

A worm 46 on the shaft 9 drives a gear 47 and through pulleys and belts48, 49, the pulley 50. which imparts reciprocating movement to the shaft51 through a crank pin 52, engaging a slot in an arm 53 depending fromthe shaft. Swung on this shaft but held longitudinally by the collars5-1. 55 pinned on the shaft. is the reciprocator 56 adapted to engagethe screws 57 on the lantern slide holders and give a re ciprocatingmovement to the lantern slidcs. This member 56 is swung free on theshaft 51 and has a curved under surface to prevent damage if one of thescrews 57 on the slid choldcr strihcs it as the slide. rises intoposition.

The shutter 58 is operated by means of an arm 51 on the end of the crossshaft Fl, operating an arm 50 pivoted to the frame and connected withthe shutter by a rod 63, so as to shut off the light while the lanternslides are changing, but is raised out of the l ne of li ht when theslide comes to exhibiting position. The fingers ()1 attached to theelevators 6 and 7 are for the purpose of retaining the slides inthetroughs when the elevators are not opposite the ends of the troughs.

The motion through which the plate holders pass is as follows: bnpposinthe elevator (1 is up and the elevator 7 own, as shown in Fig. 8. Theslide or picture plate on elevator 6 is being exhibited, this sliderestingon said elevator 6. Elevator 6 lowers and elevator 7 rises,resulting in lowering the slide which has just been ex liibited oppositeto and in front of the upper trough 3 and raising a slide by elevator 'io posite to and in rear of the trough 11. 'l he plunger 30 now acts,mshing the slide from elevator 7 into trougli 3 and pushing a slide ontothe elevator ti and the exhibited slide from elevator ti into the space31 where it is supported above the shoulders 51' pressed by the springs11. The. elevator (i now goes up and the elevator 7 goes down. As soonas this occurs the springs 41 push the exhibited slide from recess 31into line with the vertical runway 31" and said slide falls. \Vhen thistakes place the front plunger 43 moves the exhibited slide back into thetrough 4 and this pushes all the slides in this trough leftward and theend one at the left ets onto the elevator 7, ready to be. raiser intoline with the upper trough 8. The rear plunger being connected with thefront longer by the side rods -15 moves rearwan when said front plungerpushes all the slides in lower trough -l, thus removing itself from overthe lower elevator 7 so that this may now raise the rear slide. Thestops 37. 1.18 on the worm 24 are for preventing the worm from wedginginto the worm wheel. The stops act against a plate oscillating with theworm wheel.

In the operation of the iiinrliine. the lever 22 is operated by the nut18 in both direc tions to change the direction of movement of the worm.'lhc nut strikes the lover and throws in the clutch .23 to opcratc theworm wheel 2 to operate the elevators i and 7. The nut continuing itsmovement leftward strikes against the collar 1!) on the lower sliding lUtl 11 and compresses the right hand spring 111! thereon to put the mainclutch lever ll under tensi n while it is still held by its dog or catch34. By coming against the left hand collar the nut moves the lower sliderod left ard. compressing the spring. as stated ulunc. by making ncollar 27 on the slide rod work agninet h said spring. thisactioncontinuing until the last mentioned collar strikes and releases the dog31 and then the main clutch lever 15 quickly thrown by the spring torelease '9 andthrow in the left hand'belt :drivewheel 12 to changethe'diiectionaofthe main shaft 9.

Itwill be observed that the lever 22, which operates the wormclutcln-has a cam shaped and for the nut 18 to work on and on themovement (ofthe nut) to the left, the lever is operated to throw in theclutch 23 and then the nutpassing on leftward releases the lever so asto ease up on the clutch after it has performed its work of operatingthe elevators. to lower the exhibited picture plate by the downwardmovement of elevator 6 and to raise the plate on the elevator T. Afterthe nut has completed its functions on its leftward movement of firstthrowing in the worm clutch to o )CllllQ the elevators, as just.described, and releasing the worm clutch and then operating the mainclutch to reverse the movementof.the worm clutch, itmoves rightward andit then operates the worm clutch lever 22 again to throw the clutch in,causing the worm to rotate in a reverse way to o icrate the elevators, 1a. to raise elevator 6 to lift a fresh plate to exhibiting position andto lower elevator 'l' to position to receive another plate. The out nowcontinues its travel to the right and finally strikes the right handcollar and moves the lower slide bar to the right, thus compressing theleft hand spring 33' and finally bringing a collar 27 on this slide rodagainst the left hand dog 34', thereby releasing the clutch arm 14,which, under the action of the com ressed spring 33', throws the righthand bet wheel into action (releasing the left hand wheel) and causingthe worm carrying shaft to reverse its motion to the direction firstdescribed, but idly until the nut goes leftward again and throws theworm clutch lever 22. The position of the right hand collar 20, againstwhich the nut strikes, determines the length of time any picture slidewill remain up because the nut by striking this collar changes the drivefrom one pnlley.,to the other and thus changes the direction of thescrew, and conseqoently the time that the nut begins againits leftwardtravel, toward the worm clutch lever. which in turn determines by beingstruck by the nut, the time that. the worm clutch will operate to lowerthe picture.

The not 18, it will be observed, performs a plurality of functions.- Byits action on the lever 22 it determines the times and dn' ration ofoperation of the. elevators. By its action on the collars l9 and 20 itdetermines the times of reversing the main shaft 0 and it alsodetermines by said action n the collars 19, 20 the times of operatingthe plungcrs 30 and 43 which shiftthe picture plates to and from theelevators and troughs.

The screws 57 mav be adjusted to secure proper register of the screenmember with the picture carrying member of the compositelantern slide,and for'this purpose I proVldefiSlrew drivers 62 mounted in the 'frameand adapted-to be turned by finger pieces as; i told retracted bysprings 64 and when they 'lhescrew drivers are normally are used thevare pressed lengthwise against the tension of the spring 64 so thattheir ends may engage the hen s of the screws 57 and then bvturning thedrivers the screws will be adjusted.

in Fig. 4 I show a modification of the connection for givingreciprocating movement to the rod t l-and thereciprtxtator 56, thisconnection involving a screw device (36. In this modified form the shaft51 carries on its end the bar 65 which has near its lower extremity ahole with a female thread engaging the threaded shaft 66. This shaft ismmmted between the frame 1 and the bracket 67 and carries on its outerend a sprocket wheel 68 by means of which it is driven, through thechain (it), sprocket 70, gear 47 and worm 46 from the reversin shaft 9.It will be seen that the motion 0 this shaft, running as it does, firstin one direction and then in the other will through these connectionscause the screw shaft 66 to turn in a similar manner and will so drivethe shaft 51 and reciprocator 56 from side to side.

I claim as my invention;

1. In combination in a lantern slide display apparatus, an upper and alower trough or receptacle for the slides, an elevator moving verticallyfrom the lower )ortion of the upper trough to carry a skide up to thedisp ay point, an elevator movin vertically at the rear of the lowertroug to carry a lantern slide from the rear of the lower trough to apoint in rear of the up )0: trougln'plungers for moving the slides inthe upper trough forwardly and for moving the slides in the lower troughrearwardly, a vertical runway at the front of the troughs, a recessconnected with said runway to ieceivethc exhibited slide and meansadjacent said recess to force the slide into the runway to drop bygravity when the upper elevator rises and means for operating t ieelevators, substantially as described.

2. In combination in a lantern slide display apparatus, an upper and alower trough or receptacle for the slides, an elevator moving verticallyfrom the. lower portion of the upper trough to carry a slide up to thedisplay point. an elevator moving \ertically at the rear of the lowertrough to carry a lantern slide from the rear of the. lower trough to apoint in rear of the upper trough, plungers formoving the slides in theupper trough forwardly and for moving the slides in the lower troughiv-arwardly, a vertical runway at the front of the troughs, a recessconnected with said runway to receive the exhibited slide and means adacent said recess to force the slide into the runway to drop by gravitywhen the upper elevator rises and means for operating the elevators,said means adjacent the recess consisting of a s rin member to rose onthe exhibited sli e, an stantially as escribed.

3. In combination in a lantern slide display apparatus, an upper and alower trough or receptacle for the slides, an elevator moving verticallyfrom the lower portion of the upper trough to carry aslideupto thedisplay point, an elevator moving vertically at the rear of the lowertrough to carry a lantern slide from the rear of the lower trough to apoint in rear of the upper trough, plungers for moving the slides in theit per tron h forwardly and for moving the slides in tic lower troughrearwardly, a vertical runway at the front of the troughs, a recessconnected with said runway to receive the exhibited slide and means adacent said recess to force the slide into the runway to drop by gravitywhen the upper elevator rises and means for o eratin the elevators, andsprings at the ower en of said runway to cushion the fall of theexhibited slide and to act as detent means for said slide when it ispushed rearwardly by the front plunger, substantially as described.

4. In combination in a display apparatus, an upper and a lowerreceptacle or trough, elevators at the front and rent of said troughsrespectively. means for o erating the elevators to lift a lantern sli efrom the up er trough to the dis lay point and from t e lower trough tothe rear of the up er trough, plungers for moving the sli es along thetroughs, said operating means for the elevators comprising verticalracks connected therewith and gear wheels meshing with the racks withmeans for op erating the said gears first in one direction and then inthe other, each gear meshing with a rack of each elevator, substantiallyas described.

5. In combination in a display a paratus with the upper and lowertroughs fhr holding lantern slides, elevators operating respectively infront of the upper trough and in rear of the lower trough, means foroperating the said elevators, each elevator having depending portions toact as stops for the slides in the troughs when said elevators areraised. substantially as dcsct'ibod.

6. ln couihinution upper and lower troughs for holding lantcrn slides,elevators operating rcspcctivcly at front and rear of suid troughs,plungers operating longitndinallv of thc troughs. a main drive shaft,menus for driving said shaft in one direction and.then in the other,means for opcrating the elevators from said drive shaft,'

a clutch controlling said operating means, a screw shaft driven inunison with the main shaft, a traveler or nut mounted on the screwshaft, means for throwing the clutch in or out, said means beingoperated from the traveler or nut and means for operating the plungers,substantially as described.

7. In combination upper and lower troughs for holding lantern slides,elevators operating respectively at front and rear of said troughs,plungers operating longitndinall of the troughs, a main drive shaft,means or drivin said shaft in one direc tion and then in the other,means for operating the elevators from said drive shaft, a clutchcontrolling said operatin means, a screw shaft driven in unison wit themain shaft, a traveler or nut mounted on the screw shaft, means forthrowing the clutch in or out, said means being 0 erated from thetraveler or nut. and means or operating the plungers, said plungeroperating means being operated by the said traveler or nut,substantially as described.

8. In combination upper and lower troughs for holding lantern slides,elevators operating respectively at front and rear of said troughs,plungers operating longitudinally of the troughs, a main drive shaft,means for driving said shaft in one direction and then in the other,means for operatin the elevators from said drive shaft, a clutccontrolling said operating means, a screw shaft driven in unison withthe main shaft, a traveler or nut mounted on the screw shaft, means forthrowing the clutch in or out, said means being operated from thetraveler or nut and means for operating the lungers, said plungeroperating means being operated by the said traveler or nut, and meansfor controlling the reversing driving means of the main shaft from thesaid traveler or nut, substantially as described.

9. In combination upper and lower troughs for holding lantern slides,elevators for shifting said slides from trough to trough and from theupper trough to the display point, means for operating the elevators, adrive shaft connected with said operating means, a clutch controllingsaid operatin means. reversing driving means for the rive shaft, a screwshaft driven in unison with the driving shaft. 11 traveler or nutoperated by the screw shaft. a lever controlling the clutch operatedfrom the nut or traveler, a rod along which the travcler moves.adjustable collars mounted on the rod. plungers for moving the, lanternslides along the troughs. a connection between the said plungers and thesaid rod whereby the sliding of said rod by the nut striking the collarswill operate the said plunger mechanism, substantially as described.

10. In combination upper and lower troughs for holding lantern slides,elevators for shifting said slides from trough to trough and from theupper trough to the display point, means for operating the elevators, arive shaft connected with said operating means, a clutch controllingsaid operatin means, reversing drivin means for the rive shaft, a screwshaft t riven in unison with the driving shaft, a traveler or nutoperated by the screw shaft, a lever controlling the clutch operatedfrom the not or traveler, a rod along which the traveler movesadjustable collars mounted on the rod. plnngers for moving the lanternslides along the troughs. a connection between the said plan are and thesaid rod whereby the sliding 0 said rod y the nut striking the collarswill operate t e said plunger mechanism, a controller for the reversingdriving mechanism. detents for holding said controller, and springs fordplacing said controller under tension, sai detents and said springsbeing controlled by the said sliding rod, substantially as described.

11. In combination in a displa apparatua, means for bringing lanternslides to the display point automatically and removing them therefrom, amember having reciprocating movement to operate the lantern slide at thedisplay point, said member having free ivotal movement to yield undercontact mm the lantern slide when moved in place, said pivotal movementallowin the said member to adjust itself automatically into 0 rativeposition in connection wit said side and means for giving the saidpivotedJ'nember its reciprocating movement, substantially as described.

12. In combination means for moving display slides to the display point,a pivotally mounted member to operate the display slide, means forreciprocating the said member axially, said member engaging the lanternslide yieldingly to adjust itself on its pivot into roper connectionwith the slide, substantial y as described.

18. In combination in a display a para tus, means for movim the lanternsli es automuticall' to the display point and removing them therefrom, areciprocatm member at the display point to engage an operate the slides,means for automatically operating said member and a shutterautomatically operated to obstruct or permit the displa of the slide,substantia ly as described.

14. In combination in a display apparatus, upper and lower troughs,elevators operating in connection therewith, a drive shaft, means foroperating it first in one direction and then in the other a connectionbetween the said drive shafts and elevators, including a clutch, a screwshaft driven in unison with the drive shaft, a traveler or nut on thescrew shaft, means for controlling the clutch arranged to be 0 erated bythe said nut on either direction 0 the nuts movement, plungers forshifting the lantern slides in the troughs and means for operatin thesaid plungers, substantially as descri d.

15. In combination the u er and lower receivers for the lantern sh es,means for pushing the slides through the receivers, an elevator movingfrom the lower part of the a per receiver to move the slides to a dispay point above the u er receiver, an elevator for moving the a nice fromthe lower receiver to the u per receiver and means for operating the eevators located at a point between the vertical planes in which theelevators move and having connection with said elevators, and means forreversing the action of the elevator operating means, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof, I ailix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

SYDNEY B. AUSTIN. Witnesses:

W. A. Harman, G. S. Barnnr.

copies of this potent my be obtained for are cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0."

